The present invention relates to a blanket. More particularly, the present invention concerns a temperature controlled stroller blanket having a plurality of pockets and configured to control the ambient temperature around a child.
Young children, especially infants, are particularly sensitive to temperature extremes. Maintaining the proper body temperature of a child, therefore, is an important part of the child's health and safety.
Children often are transported outdoors in strollers. Many such strollers are designed to maximize the comfort and safety of the child. For example, to protect the child from the elements—sun, rain, wind, snow, etc.—strollers often include a semi-enclosed, or in some cases fully-enclosed, interior compartment within which the child is contained. The compartment may be surrounded by a retractable canopy and may include a convertible seating device to allow the child to sit in multiple upright or reclined positions. Such strollers also typically include a harness system to secure the child in the stroller.
While it is advantageous to protect a child from the elements, a semi-enclosed, or fully-enclosed, stroller compartment creates an environment in which the ambient temperature within the compartment may vary dramatically based on the exterior conditions. For example, on a hot summer day, it is desirable to enclose the child within the stroller compartment to protect the child from direct exposure to the sun. However, the temperature within the enclosed stroller compartment may increase to levels unsuitable for the child.
Similarly, on a cold winter day, it is desirable to enclose the child within the stroller compartment to protect the child from cold temperatures and the effects of windchill. However, even when the child is well insulated with multiple layers of clothing, the temperature within the enclosed stroller compartment may decrease to levels unsuitable for the child.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a device to control the ambient temperature within a stroller compartment. Preferably, such a device comprises a readily portable stroller blanket configured to provide heating or cooling of the air within the stroller compartment without the need for complex thermoelectric heating and cooling units requiring a power source.
The prior art has developed numerous types of heating and cooling blankets for highly specialized purposes, however no such prior art blankets are designed to be used in strollers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,354 to Tolbert discloses a cooling blanket designed to be wrapped around a person to reduce the person's body temperature, primarily for medical purposes, such as fever reduction and treatment of night sweats. The device uses thermoelectric cooling units disposed within a blanket. However, the Tolbert device is not specifically designed for use in strollers and would be inappropriate for use on children in hot, summer weather.
Published U.S. Pat. Application US2006/0213156 to Nilfuroshan discloses a blanket designed to be placed on animals, particularly horses, in order to deliver a targeted temperature altering regimen to a specific part of the animal's body. Such device is not specifically designed to be used for humans and has no application for use in strollers.
Accordingly, there is a need for a temperature controlled stroller blanket configured control the ambient temperature around a child in a stroller compartment. Desirably, the stroller blanket includes a plurality of integrated pockets configured to hold hot and cold packs. More desirably, the stroller blanket includes a plurality of slits configured to permit passage of straps from the stroller harness system through the stroller blanket so the child may be secured in the stroller. Most desirably, the stroller blanket is easily constructed, readily portable, comfortable and simple to use, and does not require any external power source.